Biomonitoring systems and methods of loading and releasing the same

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring body chemistry of a user, the system comprising: a housing supporting: a microsensor comprising a first and second working electrode, a reference electrode, and a counter electrode, and configured to access interstitial fluid of the user, and an electronics subsystem comprising a signal conditioning module that receives a signal stream, from the microsensor, wherein the electronics subsystem is configured to detect an impedance signal derived from two of the first working electrode, the second working electrode, the reference electrode, and the counter electrode; and a processing subsystem comprising: a first module configured to generate an analysis indicative of an analyte parameter of the user and derived from the signal stream and the impedance signal, and a second module configured to transmit information derived from the analysis to the user, thereby facilitating monitoring of body chemistry of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A disposable, wearable sensor patch, comprising:
 a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion configured to mate with one another; 
 a filament at least partially positioned exterior of the housing at a base surface of the first housing portion, wherein the filament is configured to extend into a user's tissue and is configured to detect at least one parameter of an analyte in fluid of the user; 
 an electronics subsystem fluidly sealed within the housing; and 
 an integrated transmitting unit configured to wirelessly interface with a computing device that is remote from the wearable sensor patch by outputting signals based on the at least one parameter of the analyte, 
 wherein the housing includes an interface such that the disposable, wearable sensor patch is configured to be releasably retained by and at least partially positioned within an applicator that is configured to, while the electronics subsystem is fluidly sealed within the housing, accelerate the disposable, wearable sensor patch toward the user to move the filament into the user's tissue. 
 
     
     
       2. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive substrate configured to facilitate coupling the wearable sensor patch to skin of the user, wherein:
 the adhesive substrate is positioned at the base surface of the first housing portion; and 
 the adhesive substrate includes an opening through which the filament extends at least when the filament extends into the user's tissue. 
 
     
     
       3. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 2 , wherein the housing has a footprint, and wherein the adhesive substrate has a footprint that is greater than or equal to the footprint of the housing. 
     
     
       4. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery positioned within the housing and configured to serve as a power source for the electronics subsystem. 
     
     
       5. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the filament is positioned at a location offset from a center of the base surface of the first housing portion. 
     
     
       6. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the filament is positioned at a center location of the base surface of the first housing portion. 
     
     
       7. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap configured to surround the filament such that the filament is not exposed at least when the cap is installed. 
     
     
       8. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing portion and the second housing portion are configured to mate by snapping together. 
     
     
       9. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the disposable, wearable sensor patch is configured to detect the at least one parameter of the analyte in the fluid for a time period greater than a week after the filament is initially extended into the user's tissue. 
     
     
       10. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 9 , wherein the disposable, wearable sensor patch is configured to execute an in vivo sampling calibration routine to prevent signal degradation for the time period. 
     
     
       11. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the filament includes:
 a columnar protrusion extending away from the base surface of the first housing portion, the columnar protrusion having a proximal portion near the base surface of the first housing portion and a distal portion opposite the proximal portion; 
 a conical tip region coupled to the distal portion of the columnar protrusion; 
 a conductive portion; and 
 an insulating layer positioned between the conductive portion of the filament and the proximal portion of the columnar protrusion. 
 
     
     
       12. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the filament is a first filament; and 
 the disposable, wearable sensor patch further includes a second filament configured to release biomaterials into the user while the second filament is extended into the user's tissue. 
 
     
     
       13. The disposable, wearable sensor patch of  claim 1 , wherein the filament is configured to extend into the user's tissue such that the filament is configured to be used to detect at least one parameter of an analyte in interstitial fluid of the user.